Sora Meets College
by jpri
Summary: Sora is starting her first year at college. Everything there is more than she expected: her classes, her job - and Matt, who she hasn't seen in more than four years. This is a definite Sorato!
1. Prologue

Author's note: Before anything else, I wanna say that SORATO ROCKS! WOO! If you're reading this because you wandered into my profile after reading Area IV, then be prepared for a big change in genre. Keep in mind this is my first fanfic. As always, don't forget to review. (And drop me a note about whether you want me to use the characters' Japanese names or dub names. I'll be using the dub names for now.) Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Digimon and its characters belong to Toei and whichever company that did the dub. Please remember that, for I'm too lazy to post the disclaimer again in the later chapters.

Prologue

The last time I saw Matt was on middle school graduation day, when everybody was crying and saying their goodbyes. I remember that day particularly well. Poor Mimi was sobbing because she was leaving for America in a few days. It was her who got the rest of us all started. Of the Digidestined, Tai, Izzy, and I were the only ones who were going on to Odiba High School next year. Joe will be there also, but he was a grade ahead of us.

Just until a month ago, we all had thought that Matt would be coming with us as well. Everybody was surprised when he told us that his dad had proposed marriage to a coworker. We were even more surprised when he told us that the wedding would take place just three weeks from then, and the new family would be moving to Tokyo after school ends.

I was crushed when Matt broke the news to us, especially since Mimi was moving away as well. Before that, I had always thought of the Digidestined gang as an indestructible team. Matt, Tai, and I were pretty close friends, since after our adventured in the Digital World, Matt began to show his true colors. He was still a little shy around most people, still a little unsure of how much of himself to show, but Tai and I helped him. We tried to take him wherever we went, and that included our soccer practice. Matt would get bored after watching us for ten minutes and walk off to his favorite bench in the park, where he played his harmonica. We found him there one day after practice, grumbling about some old lady who had thrown him some coins.

Occasionally, Matt relapsed into his depressive state. I always felt it was my duty to cheer him up. Tai was a little awkward when it came to that, as was demonstrated by the time he tried to cheer me up about my crest in the Digital World. I sometimes felt sort of like a mother to both of them. That was all right with me, I guess, but I still wished they would act their ages more, and not make me feel so old.

No doubt about it, Matt was cute. Perhaps that was another reason why I was so apt to make him happy - I loved his smile. I had a hunch about the number of girls that would be stopping by his locker, if only he was more outgoing. Tai was always trying to hook him up with some girl or another, but he gave up after one girl stood Matt up. Maybe I was glad that I was one of the few girls that Matt could trust. Maybe I was even secretly happy that I got to have him to myself for the most part. But I always pushed those thoughts away as best as I could. Matt needed me as a friend, as the mother that he didn't have, _not_ as his girlfriend.

After graduation at school, we Digidestined had a party at Izzy's place. We had a great time. At the end, we promised each other - especially Mimi and Matt - that we'd keep in touch and visit each other from time to time.

At first it was easy, as once every week we would all get into a chat room and chat until our fingers were tired. Summer came and went. When school started again, we fell back into our regular routines, and out communications lagged. The most noticeable was Matt. Apparently, his stepmom had enrolled him in a number of classes and extracurricular activities. I went online one night, saw his screen name in the "Online" list, and clicked on it immediately. _Hey blondie._ I typed. _How's it going?_ His reply didn't come for a good five minutes. _I can't talk Sor. I got so much work to do… and I'm not supposed to be online anyway._ There was a brief pause. _I'm sorry Sor._ I was still reading his message when he signed off. After that night, I never saw him online again.

The weeks passed by, as did the months and the years. I tried less and less to get in touch with Matt. He hardly ever got in touch with me - because he was so busy, I supposed. In eleventh grade, I was surprised to see a newspaper article that mentioned him. Matt had apparently joined a local band called the Teenage Wolves, which had its share of popularity among the fangirls of Tokyo. I considered going to one of his show with some friends, but I was busy too. Between school, college applications, exams, and the flower shoppe, I had barely five hours of sleep every night.

So in a way, I had to let go of my protectiveness, affection, maybe even love for Yamato Ishida. I knew that he was growing up and didn't necessarily need me anymore, although in my mind, he always remained the shy and sensitive boy from middle school. That's why I was so surprised when I met him again...

***


	2. The Familiar Blonde

Thank you _so much_ for all the lovely reviews! I may not be able to update this fast in the future because of school and my other story. But I couldn't leave everybody with only a prologue, could I? And plus I was so excited about getting more than 12 reviews in less than 24 hours that I _had_ to start working on the next chapter right away. So keep those reviews coming!

Another note: from now on, the story will be in third person point of view. I had forgotten about that until after I'd finished the prologue - oops! Sorry if you like first person point of view better, but I'm trying to put a little humor into this fic, which I think is hard to do if you're confined to one character's thoughts all the time.

The Familiar Blonde

Sora was looking for a coffee shop. Her roommate, Maiko, had suggested looking for one at the University mall. It was only the second week of college, and Sora already found herself needing to get away from all the bustle of campus. She needed someplace quiet to do her homework.

A mall turned out to be the perfect place for Sora to work on the assignment for her fashion designing class. As a simple review exercise, the teacher had given her students a few mannequin sketches and told them to draw outfits on the mannequins. The exercise was to see if the students could draw outfits from different angles and different body positions while still keeping everything proportional.

This was an easy assignment for Sora. All she had to do was walk through the mall, stopping once in a while to make a quick sketch of any window attire that caught her eye. With an hour, she had all the drafts that she needed for the assignment. All she had to do now is make the final copies, and maybe elaborate on them a bit.

Walking into the center of the big mall, Sora finally found what she was looking for. There was a small café next to an accessory store. She walked in and looked around. The small place was more than halfway filled, but most of the customers were either reading books or quietly resting from strenuous shopping. As Sora looked at them, she wistfully thought of Mimi. _Mimi would be ashamed at their lack of endurance. She could shop for days and never stop for rest._

Sighing, Sora bought a cup of iced tea and sat down at a two-seated table. She spread out the papers and got to work. She planned to finish within an hour, so she can do some shopping before heading back to campus. More customers came into the café, but Sora hardly noticed - she was totally absorbed in her work. To a stranger's glance, she would have looked like an artist. Her long auburn hair was held up behind her head with an ornamented clip. A pair of thin, artistic glasses rested before her eyes. She was wearing a powder-blue bohemian top and caramel-colored pants. Sora's gaze was laced with concentration as her hands moved deftly across the paper.

A man's voice suddenly interrupted. "Is this seat taken? It's the only one left in here."

She looked up and glanced around the area. Sure enough, what little number of seats there was in the café were already filled. "Oh, sure, you can sit there," Sora said automatically. Her eyes traveled back to the person standing in front of her.

The first thing she noticed was the most amazing hair she ever saw. Locks of shining gold fell around the man's face. It was perfectly styled. The man himself had a small smile on his face, and when Sora saw it, she couldn't keep herself from smiling back. She didn't know why… until she looked into his eyes. Then her smile faded and her expression turned into one of surprise.

"It's… you." She said softly.

__

It's those eyes, those deep blue eyes that I had known so long ago. Although something is different. There's no trace of shyness or uncertainty in those eyes, and yet, I still feel like I know them well.

And then she remembered where she had known those eyes. It was when she saw them for the first time. _The Digital World. His eyes were a mask - just like they are now. This is… Matt Ishida._

Then came another thought: _Damn, he's hot._

But the man - Matt - didn't respond to her phrase at all like Sora expected him to. "Me? Do you know me?" His smile now turned into one of amusement. He took the seat across from Sora.

"Of course," she replied simply, for the lack of words. But she was less certain now.

"Yeah? Well, everybody says they know me, but who really does?" He looked down at all the drawings lying on the table. "What are you, a designer or something?" Sora didn't speak - she was too confused. Matt picked up the backside sketch of a revealing halter dress. After gazing at it for a few seconds, he asked with a grin, "Are you going to wear this?"

Sora snatched the drawing away. "Of course not."

"Why not? I think you'd look pretty good in it."

Sora caught the little twinkle in his eye as he said that and blushed deeply. She couldn't believe it. _Is this really Matt? He's so different. But it has to be him; I'd know those eyes from anywhere. But he doesn't even recognize me._ She was crushed by this thought. So what she had endlessly hoped wasn't true actually _was_ true. Matt had forgotten her. Yet underneath her despondency, Sora found herself being attracted to this new, flirtatious Matt.

"So, what's your name?" he asked.

Sora was about to tell him, but checked herself. If he didn't remember her, then she didn't want to embarrass him by shoving the fact in his face. And plus, she wanted him to keep flirting with her. He might stop if he knew who she was.

"I don't tell my name to strangers." Was what she settled with.

The amused smile came back. "I thought you knew me."

"Maybe I don't."

Matt raised an eyebrow. He sat and watched as Sora gathered her papers and put them carefully into her shoulder bag. Then it occurred to her that he didn't even have a drink or anything from the store. _How strange,_ she thought. _Did he come here to just talk to me?_

She got up to leave and was secretly happy when Matt stood up also.

"Are you coming with me?"

"Only 'cause you want me to."

"And how do _you_ know what I want?" Sora was blushing again.

His mouth curved into that melting smile again. "Nobody can resist my charm."

Sora didn't say anything. _He's so confident now. A bit egotistical, even. It probably comes from being in that local band of his. Wonder how many fangirls he had? I wouldn't blame them… damn he looks fine._

They walked through the mall until a dress in one of the store windows caught Sora's eye. She stopped walking. It was a white, floor-length dress, with a low square neck and tucked empire waist. The rest was cream- and ivory-colored silk flowing layer upon layer.

"It's a beautiful dress," she breathed. "Do you think so?" When Matt didn't reply, Sora took her eyes off the dress and turned to him. She found him looking at her, instead of the dress.

"Mmm-hmm." Matt put his arm around Sora's shoulder. The touch of his hand sent tingles up and down Sora's arm.

"But you know what? I think you'd look better wearing that." He steered her toward the left. Sora felt a flush rising to her cheeks as she realized that she was looking into the window of Victoria's Secret. There was a mannequin, adorned in only a red satin bra and G-strings. She pushed Matt's hand off of her shoulder and turned to face him again.

"You pervert!" she exclaimed incredulously.

Matt didn't seem to take offense at all, and only chuckled at her reaction. He lowered his head and whispered into her ear, "Should I buy it for you?"

"No, thank you!" With that, Sora took his hand and proceeded to drag him to a part of the mall devoid of any dangerous apparel store windows.

Eventually, they came to a record store. Thinking that she might rent a movie, Sora walked in, still holding Matt's hand. She was browsing the movies section when she realized that Matt wasn't next to her anymore. Her reddish eyes scanned the store until a head of golden hair caught her attention from the CD section. She made her way over to where he was standing.

As Sora walked up to Matt, she noticed that he had a faraway look in his eyes. Those eyes swept over rows of albums and came to a stop at the sight of a CD cover. Slowly, he reached out and took the CD in his hand. Sora looked over his shoulder and saw _The Teenage Wolves_ printed on the cover.

"Your band?" she inquired.

"Yes," he said slowly, without turning around. His finger traced near the bottom of the cover, and when Sora looked closer, she saw that it was his name. Yamato Ishida.

Now she had solid proof that this man was indeed the Matt Ishida from her childhood. Up until this point, she had only a strong feeling to go by. But now - now she knew.

"This was our only CD. We disbanded almost a year ago, when the drummer was arrested for drug possession." He paused. "It was about time, anyway. We were coming out of our teens. Can't be the Teenage Wolves when we're past our teens, right, Sora?"

At the sound of her name, Sora's eyes flicked to his. Once again she looked into those deep blue eyes, and this time, she saw no mask. Instead, his eyes shone with gladness. Sora touched his face.

"So you haven't forgotten," she whispered.

"Of course I haven't." And with that, his arm came around her waist, pulling her into a fierce hug.

***


End file.
